


Toss a Coin to Your Jedi

by do_or_donut (amharvey2380)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Blade of yellow fire, F/M, Fin and Poe rescue mission, Geralt enjoys the view, Geralt of Rivia and Rey make a deal, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Says "Hmm", I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Lost Ben Solo, Lost rey, Monsters, Rey is modest, Rey needs a bath, Rey seems to always get hurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:00:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27210025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amharvey2380/pseuds/do_or_donut
Summary: What happens if Rey were to wreck on an uncharted planet while exploring the unknown regions.  Injured and unconscious she is found by Geralt of Rivia.  Can a Jedi help a Witcher win a war?  Can a Witcher help a Jedi return to her friends that she left behind?  Can a Witcher help Rey find what she's lost?
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Geralt of Rivia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Rey felt pain ravaging her body. The last thing she remembered was flying in Luke’s X-wing through the unknown region looking for Jedi and Sith relics. She felt the she was laying on cold earth, a scratchy blanket covering her, she could smell the ground, the grass, and the dew that surrounded her. She also could smell burning wood. Peeking her eyes open she saw a fire burning not too far away and shadows of someone moving around. Where was she? Who was the shadow? Friend? Foe? She needed to find her ship and get away. All her life had been fight or flight, and she would always fly before she would fight. It was the Jedi way after all.

Looking at her surroundings as well as she could without causing attention she struggled to see as much as the light would touch from the fire. She could see trees surrounding them. She could hear night creatures singing their songs. Closing her eyes she reached out further with the force. She felt the growth beneath her, the life that surrounded her, the man that was the shadow that sat on the ground. She felt animals large and small surrounding her. She felt a pack of wolves closing in on them, then she heard them howl. Her eyes popping open and pain surging through her head.

“They are not going to bother us, and if they do I’ll take care of them.” A deep voice said.

This did not give Rey any reassurance from the shadow. She knew there was a pack of them, more than one man could take care of by himself even though the silhouette did look quite large. Rey wasn’t sure how hurt she was, if she could even fight if she needed to. She sat up with a groan, pain shooting through her body. She moved her legs and felt the light saber attached to her belt shift. She was relieved that if she did need to fight she would at least have her weapon. “Where am I?” She asked.

“Velen.”

Rey had never heard of Velen, “What system?”

There was silence from the shadow, but not the wolves, she could still hear their cries. It made her shiver.

“You are pretty hurt lady. You should sleep.” The deep voice said.

Rey couldn’t even think of sleep. She needed to get back to her ship alive. She didn’t think she would have to worry to much of the company that she was keeping, but the wolves she worried about. She didn’t know the planet Velen or what kind of wolves that inhabited it. It wasn’t long before she found out though. She saw their eyes gleam from the fire light. First there was one pair, then another, and another thought the trees that hid them in the darkness. She counted 6 pair, but could feel there were more. She also felt the air change around her from the shadow.

“Stay by the fire.” He said standing up.

If she thought he was large sitting her thoughts would surely be an understatement. He was large, probably as large as Ben had been.

The thought of Ben sent a pang through her heart. As awkward as it seemed she missed him

Then she saw a blur jump out of the woods towards the shadow. She jumped to her feet still feeling the pain in her body but the adrenaline coursing through her veins of the attack. She saw a gleam of a blade that was unsheathed from his back, and with one quick and cruel stroke the animal fell to the ground with a yelp. She felt a small flash of sorrow for the beast but before she could processes the feelings they were gone as three more of the animals leaped out of the woods towards them. Two flanking the man, and one towards her. Unlatching her saber from her belt and igniting the light from the yellow blade showed more wolves than she originally thought were surrounding them and getting ready to pounce. She saw the man turn his head towards her, the blades light surprising him, Rey watched as one of the beasts saw a chance to take down the larger pray. Rey outstretched her hand throwing the animal into a tree with a yelp with the force. She then lashed out towards the wolf that was coming toward her with her saber, decapitating the animal. The remaining wolves paced looking at their fallen pack. Rey wondered if they were thinking twice of trying to make them their meal. Her thoughts were then interrupted by a piercing scream of an animal behind her.

“Roach!” The man yelled as he ran past her.

She saw the animal that he called roach, it was a Pulga, and it was being threatened by the wolves. The man swung his sword at the closest animal, the sword hit nothing but air. The animals growling and snarling at the man letting him know of their frustration, the pulga still uneasy with the wolves so near.

“Get out of here!” the man yelled at them. The wolves still pacing wondering if they should attack or not. Rey watched the scene still keeping her eyes on the wolves that were on the other side of the fire. Her body was screaming at her but she didn’t want to die.

Gathering her strength she sent a push with the force, the fire almost going out from the force, but the wolves also being pushed back into the woods with yelps. She then heard them run away, looking toward the man and pulga she noticed that the other wolves too had retreated.

She watched as the man started calming the pulga, whispering to it and stroking it’s large head. Walking over to the man she saw that the pulga was indeed calming down. The man checking the animal for injuries, she noticed that the pulga called a roach was bleeding from it’s flank. She slowly walked to the man and animal, the closer she got the more she could smell the blood. The man was already wiping the animal with a cloth, cleaning the wound as best he could and she knew she had to heal the roach.

“Please, let me help.” Rey said stepping up to the wounded pulga. She could tell that the animal was still scared and in pain. The whites of it’s eyes showing in the light of the saber. She put her hand on the animals neck, running it down it’s body so it knew she wasn’t out to hurt it and extinguished her saber. The man moved out of her way, she could tell he was watching her closely but let her pet his roach.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” She told the pulga trying to comfort it. She pet it and soothed it until she reached the area that was wounded. It was a large injury, four claws dug deeply in the pulga’s meat. She placed her hand on the wound that blood was running quickly from. She closed her eyes and called to the force, light filling her. She flooded the healing force from herself to the pulga, she could see the wound melding together in her mind as the animals flesh healed.

Rey smiled when the pulga was healed. She was in pain and exhausted, but pleased with using the force to heal the animal. Her revelry was quickly broken though when the man whipped her around and looked straight into her eyes. “Who are you?” He asked.

Rey’s smile quickly faded, she could see his eyes, yellow and evil. The last time she had seen eyes like that had been the Emperor. She jerked away from the man and started to run. She could hear him behind her, his steps gaining quickly. She was deeper in the woods, there was no light except from the moon that wasn’t shining very brightly to begin with. She felt a large object collide with her back knocking her to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. The little light she saw surrounding her from the moon was turning black quickly as she passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

“Have any of you heard from Rey?” Fin asked as he burst through the doors to Poe’s office. He had not felt her in the force and was terrified for her. Every morning he would meditate in his quarters reaching out in the force as Rey had taught him and every morning he could feel her signature, faint, and growing fainter each day the farther she traveled away from them, but he could still feel her in the force. Except for this morning. He reached out and there was nothing. He tried harder, even to get just a faint signature of her force and there was still nothing. When she was near and he would feel her, it was like a bright light that enveloped him in waves. He could sometimes feel a bit of darkness sometimes, but he knew his best friend and she was good.

“No, She sent us that transmission a couple days ago stating that she thought she had found something and she was going to check it out, that she would be going into the unknown regions, but you were there when we got that Buddy.” Poe said. He wasn’t worried at all. Rey was a Jedi, well as much as a Jedi could be now days.

“Yeah, but I can’t feel her anymore Poe. I think something bad has happened to her.” Fin said his face stricken with guilt and horror. He knew he should have gone with Rey on her mission. He was learning the Force from her, but she had been adamant that he stay and help Poe on Chandrila to help rebuild the Republic. 

Once The Emperor had been destroyed along with his fleet, the Final Order was gone. There were stragglers of course, just as there had been stragglers from the Empire. But the Resistance wanted to make life better for all planets. That was their goal, to form a senate that made everything equal, but they were finding that it was harder in life than on paper. That as much good as they wanted to do for all sentient beings that there were still problems where the rich would get rich, and the poor would be forgotten about. Poe had wished every day that Leia were still around, that she could take over for him and he could fly around the galaxy without a care in the world.

“Listen Fin, I know you are worried about Rey, but we have a whole galaxy to look after, not just one Jedi. If anyone can take care of herself it’s her.” Poe told his friend. Though when he looked at Fin’s face he regretted it. He saw the hurt in the man’s eyes.

Fin turned around to leave not believing Poe would ditch Rey like he was doing. The galaxy be damned. Rey had died for the Galaxy, he knew she had, he had felt it. Though she wouldn’t tell anyone what happened to her on Exegol he knew that it had pained her deeply. She killed the Emperor, and whatever she had to do it had taken her away from them, even if it was for a moment. They had a very happy reunion on the jungle moon of Ajan Kloss. And he had watched her duck away from the celebrations to retrieve what looked like clothing from the X-wing. He wanted nothing more than to go to her that night and let her know that they had won and she could now live, not in fear, but with her friends, and thought better of it after seeing tears streaming down her face, clutching the cloth to her chest. Fin had hurt for his friend, he knew she was going through so much, with so much loss. It seemed that her spirit had been broken, she wasn’t the same girl that was wide eyed when meeting Han Solo, or the same girl that had levitated rocks to save them from Crait. His friend was changed, but then again, weren’t they all? Poe was trying his hand at politics but it really wasn’t his forte. Rose seemed be Poe’s assistant, but it wasn’t what she knew well. And him, he seemed more out of place than anyone. A former stormtrooper, turned resistance hero, turned Jedi padawan. There was plenty of help of course with almost all of it. Poe had former senators that had survived Hosnian Prime by being off world at the time of its destruction guiding him, but Fin wasn’t sure that was even the right way to go. Who had it all right Fin wondered? He had seen all walks of life, the rich, the poor, the middle class. He had seen the hunger in people’s eyes as a storm trooper on planets that were deemed useless to the New Republic due to there being no natural resources from their home world. He had seen how the rich would gamble their fortunes in Canto Bight.

“Fin!, Wait up buddy.” Poe said jogging behind him trying to catch up.

Fin hadn’t realized even where he was so lost in thought, but he stopped and waited for his friend.

“Listen Fin, I’m really sorry. I just have so much going on right now.” Poe said raking his hand through his curly hair. “I just… I don’t know. I didn’t know this would all be so hard. I didn’t realized that once the First Order would be taken down it would be so…”

“Much?” Fin ended his sentence for him.

“Exactly! I mean, how did Leia do it?” Poe asked.

“You mean the Princess? The Senator? Or the General?” Fin responded.

“Don’t forget she was a Jedi too.” Poe said with a smirk.

“Poe, you don’t have to do this man. There are people surrounding you all day long that have done this all their lives practically. Haven’t you done enough? You were great at the fight, but this is a way different fight that you aren’t prepared for.” Fin told Poe.

Poe knew that Fin was right, that he was great when it came to jumping in a ship and blowing things up, but politics was way out of his league. He was going to step away from the politics. “Fine, give me a week to get out of this mess and if Rey isn’t back, or we haven’t heard word we will go find her.”

Fin didn’t want to wait a week, he didn’t want to wait a second, but he couldn’t go alone so there was really no choice, and he was hoping that by the time Poe had walked away that they would hear from Rey.


	3. Chapter 3

Geralt watched the girl sleep. She had been terrified of him, though there were many people that feared Witchers. But for some reason her fear had made him feel guilty, even though there was nothing he should be guilty for. Maybe it was the look on her face that reminded him of the past, of a girl that he had saved from a group of lecherous men that were attempting to rape her. The same fear had been in her eyes, her face, as she looked at him. It made no sense though that a sorceress would be afraid of him, they were cut from the same cloth nowadays, hated by people that didn’t understand them, feared them for what they could do. He rather enjoyed being alone unless it was with the very few people that he cared about, Yennefer and Ciri, but he knew that this girl was lost. He had found her in a metal carriage but with wings. There was no place for horses, and it looked as if it had been sunken half in quick sand, but there was no quicksand in the forests where she was found. She was a true mystery, the blade of light she wielded with skill along with the sorcery she used to push the wolves away, and more so healing Roach leaving the skin perfectly healed. Not even a scar was seen from the aftermath of the attack. He wanted to know where she learned her traits.

He knew that he shouldn’t be here at the Inn with this girl, he needed to be looking for Ciri, he needed to keep her from the Wild Hunt who was searching for her. He knew she was on her way to Novigrad and was hoping that he could find her there. He had no idea why the Wild Hunt wanted her but he knew that he needed to protect her. He may not be her father but she was as close to a child he could ever have.

“Where am I?” a voice broke his thoughts. 

“You are my guest.”

Rey shuddered remembering the past when Kylo Ren had said the same words to her on star killer base. 

“My name is Geralt of Rivia.” He told her watching her reaction, though she didn’t move, and her face remained iron like. Her chin tilted up slightly, she looked as if she were ready for a fight even though she couldn’t leave the bed, her hands and legs being tied to the posts. “I’m a Witcher.”

He watched her closely for her reaction of fear again but all that crossed her face was confusion. Maybe he could get some answers from her, get her to open up to him, find out what she was about. “Where are you from?” He asked.

“Jakku.” She answered curtly, and it was her turn to see confusion cross his face. She didn’t have time for this, but was tied up, of course she could get out of them if she wanted but she noticed that she didn’t have a weapon and wasn’t even sure where her light saber was. Though this time she woke she was on a bed and not the hard ground. She was able to see her capturer with the room being lit by the lantern beside her. He indeed had eyes of yellow just like her sith grandfather. His skin was pale, and his hair was as white as the snows of Hoth. There was also a scar over his eye which didn’t deter his handsomeness, but did make him more menacing looking. Who was he really, and what is a witcher? The only thing she could think of was the stories she read about of the Nightsisters from Dathomir, but they were all women. She had never read of a man being a witch. “What is a Witcher?” She asked.

“You have never heard of the stories of Witchers?” He asked incredulously. The girl just shook her head. “You have never heard of Geralt of Rivia? The Butcher of Blaviken?”

Rey was tired and still in a lot of pain. She was done with the 21 questions, especially because he was naming places that she had never heard of. “Listen I don’t know who you are, where I am, or what you want from me but I’m done with these games. I’ve never heard of any of what you just said, you might as well be speaking Huttunise, though I’m pretty fluent in that language, but still, I just want to go back to my ship and leave this planet.” Rey stated as she slipped her hands and feet out of the bindings she was being held with and swung her legs off the bed getting to her feet.

Her getting out of the rope had surprised Geralt and he jumped to his feet extracting a sword from his back. He hadn’t even thought the sorceress would been able to free herself so easily. He was ready for anything from her, and had no idea what she was capable of.

Rey sighed out of frustration, she didn’t think that he would slice her down though she kept her guard up ready if he did. She waived her hand “You do not wish to hurt me.” She said in a soothing voice.

“Damn right I don’t want to hurt you lady, but I will if you try anything.” He said sword still raised.

Rey slouched in defeat sitting on the bed, of course this Witcher wouldn’t be weak of mind. “I just want to go home.” She said resting her face in her hands. She really just wished to be back at Chilandra with her friends, the only family she knew. She wanted to be with people she cared about, but also alone, she was used to being alone, that is why she decided to go on this journey by herself. She was grieving for the loss of her parents, the loss of Luke and Leia, and the loss of Ben. She never got the chance to grieve with the war going on. But that was now ended and she needed to fix the hurt in her heart. It seemed she could heal everything but herself.

“What is your name?” Geralt asked quietly. He could see the defeat in the girl that seemed so strong, he did not sheath his sword but did lower it.

“Rey.” She answered quietly.

“Listen Rey, I want to help you. I really do, but I have to find my….” Geralt didn’t know how much he should tell this girl. “I need to find someone who is in trouble.” He continued. He had seen what she could do against the wolves, and with his horse. He didn’t want to lose someone that could help him find Ciri, maybe even help him with the Wild Hunt. “If you were to help me then I will do all I can to help you get back home.”

“How can you ask me for help, you can’t even trust me?” Rey said looking at his sword that was still in his hands.

“I haven’t hurt you yet have I? And I’ve seen what you can do. You are a powerful sorceress, I’m sure that not even I could get near you if you didn’t want me to.” 

Rey didn’t know where she was, or how to get back home. She really had no choice did she, at least she would have a guide, and some help to get back to her friends. “I think we need to talk.” She said with a sigh.

She watched as Geralt sheathed his sword and sat in the chair by the fire. “Where is Jakku?”

“It’s a sand pit of a planet in the Outer Rim.” She answered. “What is a Witcher?”

“I kill monsters for coin. What do you mean planet?”

“There are millions and millions of inhabited planets, not including inhabited moons in the galaxy.” Rey said looking up towards the ceiling. “What do you mean monsters? People or creatures?”

“Both. So you aren’t even from this world?” He asked not believing her.

“No, I was looking for answers when I flew to close to a maw which disabled my ship, I was flung into this world’s atmosphere and crash landed where you found me. How badly damaged was my ship when you found me?”

“I don’t know considering I don’t know what a flying ship should look like. Why were you looking for answers?”

“That’s personal, who are you trying to save?”

“That’s personal.” Geralt answered with a playful smirk.

Rey couldn’t help it but smile back at his charming smirk, and Geralt was taken back at how radiant she looked as she smiled. Her face getting younger with dimples gracing her cheeks. She really was only a child, though he knew that sorceresses didn’t age like normal people. She could look 18 until death if she was as powerful as she seemed. 

“How old are you Rey?” Curiosity getting the best of him.

She shrugged, laying down on the bed staring at the ceiling. “I really don’t know, 19 maybe 20. How old are you?”

Geralt lifted an eyebrow not really believing her with as much power she seemed to possess. “A lot older.”

Rey smiled at him, “I guess that explains the gray hair then.” She said playfully.

Geralt scoffed, but was beginning to feel at ease with the girl that flew in the stars, that had a light sword, and used sorcery. He was just hoping that she could help him find Ciri, and that he could help her find a way home. And mostly he was hoping this wouldn’t bite him in the ass. “We need to sleep, we will find you a horse tomorrow and be on our way. The sooner we get this done the better.”

Rey still wasn’t sure what their mission was but she had made a deal. She was still in pain and completely exhausted. She would have to find out more tomorrow about it all. About this planet, him, and his mission. She closed her eyes and quickly drifted to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

“Silly boy, why do you even try anymore?” a voice whispered around him. “You don’t even know where you are, you don’t even know who you are.” The voice almost sounded angry at him.

“There is darkness surrounding him.” A sad disembodied voice said.

“But so much light as well” This voice sounded happy.

“They are one of the same, though they will never truly understand.” A serene voice stated.

“Together they could been great, together they could have ruled.” The angry voice said.

“But how now? They are apart, dead to all but us and the vergence.” A different voice chimed in. “Could she help? Could we get the girl to help him?”

At this his head snapped. It was like from a dream he had once had. The mention of a girl…. What girl? He tried to remember, to remember the girl, he could see her face in his mind, a young girl with brown hair, very pretty, especially when she smiled, which he didn’t think she did much. He tried so hard to remember but every time he remembered there was pain, so much pain.

“She is no girl, but perhaps you are right. We should call for the Jedi.” The serene voice said.

“She will not come.” A sad voice said. “Do you know who he is? She will not help.”

“Go to the scatter, see if she will come.” The serene voice said.

With that there was finally silence which he appreciated. The endless chatter that was in his head seemed to never stop. He wondered if he was crazy, or maybe just a man in a dream that seemed to never end. But he knew that wasn’t it, how could he dream inside a dream. Was he an addict, was he in a forever haze and that’s why he heard the voices that weren’t his? A dream inside of a dream. He wasn’t sure how long he had been in this dream, but it seemed like years, decades, forever even. He could see people flash behind his eyes when he closed them, and death, so much death that it would overwhelm him. He would scream but nobody ever came. He was alone in this place, other than the voices that spoke to him. They really never even spoke to him, but spoke about him. He wondered at times if he were at a hospital, maybe he was unconscious and those were nurses, he could hear them but couldn’t wake up to talk back to them. He could scream, he could rage, he could cry, but no one came to him. He could remember so much, but also nothing at the same time.

He stood up and walked around the barren land seeing geysers erupt in the distance. He had never seen any life on the planet, though he could feel it. He could feel life surrounding him like he was in a bustling crowed city center. There was power within the plant he was on, but he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. That is if he really is here and it’s not all a dream. 

When the voices weren’t talking about him he would often walk around trying to find a way out. Or sometimes he would think of the faces he would see when he closed his eyes and wonder who each one was in his life. The older woman with her hair in a sophisticated braid smiling at him, he could only guess that she was his mother with the way she would look at him with so much joy in her eyes. He would then see her die, she would lay down so peacefully, close her eyes and he could feel grief wash over him when she would breathe her last breath. Pain racked through his stomach and he would wish he could just go with her at that time.

He would see a man, rough around the edges, but kind to him, only calling him Kid. He thought that it would be his father. He would see himself as a child sitting behind a star ship laughing with the man, feeling the exhilaration of flying, but then it would turn into a nightmare, he would turn around and there would be a violent blade piercing the man. Then in the dream, vision, memory, whatever it was, the man along with the ship would fall into a void leaving him behind feeling broken.

A man with a brown beard and boyish blue eyes would sometimes appear in his mind, he seemed wise, maybe a teacher of some sort. He would smile at him and was patient with him and talk to him but he could never understand what was said. It was like his words were being spoken under water. Then in a sudden change his face would turn ugly, hateful and green. He would cover his eyes and then the man with the beard would be gone.

But there was always the girl, she was his favorite. The girl with the dazzling smile, the girl that always tried to save him from himself. She was the light in this darkness, in his darkness. He imagined that she was his wife. That the two were in love, and lived in a small apartment. He would come home to her every evening and she would give him a kiss and ask him how his day was. That it was simple, it was peaceful, it was bliss. He knew deep down inside that it wasn’t true, but he knew that he loved this girl. This woman whose smile made him feel lighter. He could feel her lips upon his sometimes, her tears upon his face. He could feel fear of losing her. She was a ray of light that brought him from his darkest thoughts.

He knew nothing on this planet, he didn’t even know his name. He didn’t know if he was asleep or awake, crazy or sane. The only thing he knew was that he loved her and wished that he could be in her arms, her light washing away all his darkness and rage.


	5. Chapter 5

Rey woke with sunlight shining through the single dingy window in the room. The room looked better in the darkness of night than during the day. The bed she slept on was stained yellow, but at least they didn’t smell like they looked. The room was built with wood, there was a small fireplace and above it was a pastoral painting that might be pleasant to look at if it weren’t for the covering of soot. The room wasn’t dirty, there wasn’t dust to be seen on the small table, or the chair that was in front of the fireplace, but wasn’t pristine either, though she had slept in worse accommodations.

What she did realize was that she was alone. The man she had stricken a deal with the night before was gone. Had he gone without her? She didn’t even know where she was or how to get back to her ship if he had. Fear started to grip her stomach, she had nothing, no weapon, no friends, no money, only the force. She had the force, the grip on her stomach lessened, she would be fine, even alone on this planet. She then started thinking of what Geralt had said last night, that this world was full of monsters, both beast and human form. She just hoped that she could survive them.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she felt for the force around her. It was like saying good morning to an old friend, her oldest friend if she were to be honest with herself. The tightness in her stomach disappeared and she weaved in and out of the force. She could be herself in the force, the force calmed her nerves and made her realize that no matter what she would be alright even without Geralt. 

There was a slam of a door, Reys eyes shot open, then there was another clatter, the table, chairs and small object that weren’t nailed down in the rooms dropped to the floor with a crash. She looked over and saw Geralt at the closed door staring at her. He stood with his arms crossed and a not to happy expression on his face. Rey felt like a child being scolded for getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she could feel color flood her cheeks though she didn’t know what she was being scolded for, nothing had broken. “What?” She asked.

Geralt walked over picking up the furniture that had fallen when her concentration had been broken. “What if it had been a maid that had seen that? Or the Innkeep?” Geralt asked “I told you last night that normal people do not like sorceresses. They are afraid of people like us. And it’s even worse in Novigrad where we will be going today.”

Rey rolled her eyes, she was sure she could take care of herself, especially if she were to get her lightsaber back. “Where is my weapon?” She asked. She didn’t feel the same without the weight of it at her hip.

“Somewhere safe, somewhere you can’t use it to kill me while I sleep.” He answered.

Rey couldn’t believe that they had made a deal and yet he thought she would kill him. Of course she could understand from what she had seen this was a primitive world. She was probably the first to ever visit this world from another, but it didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt a little. She wouldn’t let it get to her, she would have to earn his trust, and he would have to earn hers in all actuality. She realized how naïve she was being even sleeping in the same room with him, naïve to trust him so easily. She would know not to trust him until he proved himself. Though he did know this land and she did need him more than he needed her so she wouldn’t break the deal. She would help him as much as she could until they could find his friend.

“Could I use the refresher before we go?” She asked. 

Geralts brow furrowed in confusion. “Refresher?”

Rey could feel her cheeks turn hot again, “Where is the room I relieve myself in, a toilet, a sink maybe to wash the dirt from my neck?”

Geralt laughed loudly “A full room for all that?” He laughed walking over to a pan in the corner. “Here you are Empress.” He said tossing it on the bed.

Rey froze at the words, anger filling her. “What did you call me?” she asked him almost growling. Geralt was shocked at the sudden change in this girl. She was just blushing and embarrassed and now she was angry and if looks could kill he would be dead already. But calling her an Empress had really gotten her pissed off, something that he didn’t want to do if she were going to help him, even if she could help him. But also his curiosity was piqued, why would she be so upset about him calling her Empress.

“We don’t know anything about each other, but I’ll not call you Empress ever again.” He told her to try to placate her.

Rey knew she was being absurd, but the last person that had called her Empress was the Emperor and she couldn’t keep the memories back of Exegol and rage overtook her. She thought of the man, the sith, who took it all away from her. She gathered herself together and calmed her thoughts, Geralt didn’t know anything about her life, he didn’t know what she had gone through. It was just a word.

“I’m sorry Geralt. I over reacted.” She said sadly. “I’m an orphan, my mother and father was killed when I was a child. I didn’t learn until recently that they were dead, I had lived my whole life thinking they would come and rescue me from the horrible place I lived. They of course never did. I knew deep down that they weren’t coming back but I needed that hope to hold on to. If I had no hope I would have died on Jakku from the heat, from starvation. Hope was the only thing I had.” She said giving him a sad smile. Geralt sat beside her hoping she would continue. “There was a war going on in the Galaxy. It was a fight that many people died from, so many people. We won, but looking at the whole, I wonder if we did. During this war I had met my grandfather, he was an Emperor, the Emperor of the entire galaxy at one time. He wanted me to fall to the darkness that I know is within me… He wanted me to become the Empress, to rule the galaxy with him pulling the strings. The man who killed my parents, who killed so many people, the puppet master of so much darkness, my grandfather who I had to kill, wanted to make me the Empress of the Galaxy.” She said looking at Geralt to see his reaction to her wild tale in which he did look sympathetic to her past. “That’s the very abridged version.” Her sad smile returning.

“The friend that I’m looking for, her name is Cirilla, Ciri. She is my daughter, well, like my daughter. She is in danger, and she is much like you I think.” He told Rey. Rey lifted a brow and smirked at him but didn’t say anything hoping he would continue. “She is tough, and she thinks she can handle herself. She fiercely loves the few she is closest with but she goes into things without thinking them through. Ciri is very special and there is an army after her. I can’t let her face them alone.” He told her. She could see the stress and worry in his face.

“Well Geralt, what are we waiting for? Let’s go find your daughter.” Rey said standing up and smiling hoping that this could be the first step for trusting each other.

He stood in front of Rey placing his hand on her shoulder, “Thank you Rey of Jakku.”

Rey and Geralt left the inn and Rey was seeing this world for the first time. The roads were all dirt and mud. The Inn and surrounding buildings were built with wood and thatched roofs, and a wall surrounding it all made of cut trees. There were people working, tending animals or small gardens, there was a couple children running trying to catch a chicken that ran past her. She followed Geralt to a lean to where she saw the pulga from the evening before. The wound was completely healed but the hair that had once been there was missing revealing the claw marks that had torn into its flesh.

“That one is yours.” Geralt said pointing to a pure black pulga. It was a beautiful animal but she wasn’t sure how well she would do riding it. She was used to speeders, but she controlled those, those don’t have minds of their own. “Have you ever ridden?” he asked her, she shook her head no. “He is gentle, a gelding, older but still fast when needed.” Geralt untied the reigns, “When you want to go left, move these to the left, when you want to go right, move these to the right. When you want to go straight keep them loose, when you want to stop, pull back.” He put the reigns over the horses head and put his hand down so she could use it as a step up to get in the saddle. Rey looked at him questioningly. “Put your foot on my hand so I can give you a lift up into the saddle.” 

Rey did as he asked and was lifted in the air, she swung her leg over the horse and sat comfortably in the saddle. The horse shifted a bit getting used to the extra weight which made Rey nervous, she wrapped her arms around the horses neck and heard Geralt laugh. “Sit up Rey and hold the reigns lightly.” He told her handing her the reigns. “Now, put your feet in here.” He said holding the stirrup so she could slide her foot in. He lifted the leather beside her leg and adjusted the length, then went around and fixed the other stirrup so she could slip her foot in. 

“We will go slow and hope he follows Roach until you get the hang of it.” He told her as he got on his own horse. 

Rey watched him effortlessly get on his horse and realized it was almost as if getting on a speeder, if the speeder were higher off the ground and moved while jumping on it. She watched as Geralt pulled the reigns to the right and the horses neck turned right, it’s body following it’s neck. It started walking through the mud and Rey followed Geralt’s motions, her horse’s head moved to the right and it’s body did too, but it didn’t stop turning, it just spun in a circle until she ended up pointing the same way as she started.

“Geralt, I think I broke my roach.” She said to him. 

He looked back and smiled, he couldn’t help it. “Well first of all you can’t name your horse Roach, that’s her name.” He told her nodding to his horse. “Second, once you’ve pointed your horses head the direction you want to go you should stop moving the reigns in that direction. Let’s see you do it.”

Rey did as instructed and the horse turned and started walking down the lane. Rey smiled for her accomplishment. It really was like a larger living breathing speeder and was sure once she got used to it she would be a pro.

Rey and Geralt had rode out of the small village following the narrow dirt road. She thought she was getting the hand of riding the animal, at least she wasn’t as fearful as she was when she first got on it. “What is this animal called on this world?” She asked Geralt.

“A horse.” 

“And yours is named Roach?” She asked, he nodded. “What’s mines name then?”

Geralt shrugged, “Whatever you want to name him I guess.”

Rey had never named anything before, well anything living at least. She had named her speeder gofer, and her little doll she had named Thane, a rebel pilot she had heard stories about on Jakku. She looked at the beautiful black coat of the horse and only one name popped into her head. Vader…. She thought it was a bit morbid to name her horse that but it seemed fitting. It intimidated her just as Vader had intimidated an entire galaxy, he was as dark as space and she could feel the power that the animal possessed. “Vader. His name will be Vader.”


	6. Chapter 6

She was brought by the Priestesses from the Scatter. She didn’t want to come and they were being more vague than normal, but she was curious. They had told her an old friend needed her help. An old friend, all of her friends were dead and one with the force now. She saw a man in the distance, tall broad shoulders and dark hair. From this distance she couldn’t tell much more than tall and dark, as well as very nude. He was much too young to be anyone from her past. She closed her eyes and reached out with the force. The planet was almost overwhelming and she was having a hard time getting his signature. She could feel darkness and light, but she wasn’t sure if it was from the man or the planet itself. She knew that the force would be no help, she would need to actually see who this guy was.

She walked with confidence but very carefully toward the man, he had not seen her and she did not want to startle him. She wasn’t sure what he would do if caught unaware, but she knew that he had no weapons, there was nowhere to hide one. He still hadn’t seen her, or felt her. She cleared her throat “Ummmm, Hmmmmm.”

Startled he did jump and turn around, she had to turn her head away as not to see his front side nude as well. She took off her cloak and held it out for him, peeking to see if he would take it. She tried not to see too much but started to blush as she saw everything. He was pure muscle, pure man, large everywhere, she felt a flutter deep below her belly which confused her, she much preferred to look at the fairer sex than men. “Please cover yourself. I don’t think I can talk to you while you are nude.” She said looking back at the ground.

The cloak was ripped out of her hands, she had peeked again and noticed that the man had turned around trying to put the cloak on but it was too small. She watched as he wrapped it around his mid-section covering as much as he could. She turned around to face to face the man and finally got a good look at him. His dark eyes were so confused, he was completely lost. His dark hair fell over his forehead into his eyes, she could see the tips of his ears poking through his thick locks. Fair skin, flawless save a couple birthmarks not marring his handsome face, his lips thick and seemed perfect for his face. He wasn’t handsome in the way most women, or men, would call someone handsome or sexy, but there was something about him, all his features that gave him sex appeal. 

She still didn’t know why the priestesses asked her to come, she did not know this man, he wasn’t an old friend as they had said. 

“Who are you?” He asked. She noticed his voice was almost like velvet that wrapped around her. Yes, there was where the rest of the package came in that would finally reel you in.

“My name is Ahsoka Tona. Who are you?”   
His brow furrowed and anger rippled through him. “I don’t know.” He answered truthfully.

Ahsoka felt sadness for this man, he was lost, in body and mind. “How long have you been here?”

“Forever?” He said shrugging. “It feels like forever. Forever alone, except for the voices in my head.”

“Do you remember anything before you came to be here?” She asked, “Do you know how you came to be here?”

He shook his head. “I don’t remember anything. I see faces, but I can’t remember even who they are.” He sat on the ground his elbows on his knees, and head in his hands. “I think this is my punishment. I think I hurt a lot of people and this madness I’m suffering from is my punishment.”

Ahsoka sat in front of him trying to catch his eyes, “Why would you think that?”

He looked up and into her eyes, she noticed that they were tearing up. “I remember people, happiness, but then it’s overcome by pain, grief, sadness, disappointment, and fear.” 

Ahsoka felt sorry for this man who didn’t know who he was. She knew that he was strong with the force, very strong, almost as strong as her old master. She wondered if she could see what he saw or more if she tried. She had never looked into anyone’s mind before, and with him shutting his past away from himself she wasn’t even sure she could break through those barriers. If what he said about himself she wondered if she even wanted to know. What if it were better to not know. 

She was deep in thought when he asked, “Can you help me?”

She sighed, it might not even work, “I will try, if not this way I know another way to see your past. Take my hand and close your eyes.” She told him, holding out her hand. He reached for her hand, his so much larger than hers, and they both closed their eyes.

She started her meditation, “Let me in, do not fight. Let me see what you’ve seen. Let me hear what you’ve heard. Let me feel what you feel.” She told him in a soothing voice. She was trying to get in his head but it was a trap made of Durasteel and locked tight. “Open yourself to me, I will not hurt you, I don’t want to hurt you.” She heard a whisper in her head. ‘It’s Ben’

Suddenly it felt like something was ripping though Ahsoka’s head, she tried to stop it, tried to let go of his grip, but he held tighter, and she could feel he was in her head, rummaging through her memories, memories she didn’t want to remember. Her being expelled from the order, having to fight for her life during order 66 against her friends Rex and the other clone troopers. When she was turned to the darkside by the son and had to fight her master and his master and died on Mortis, when she learned that her master had become Darth Vader and when they battled. “BEN STOP!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!” She screamed.

She felt him leave her mind violently and fell, chest to the ground, breathing hard. The pain in her head felt like she had been hit by a speeder, her eyes felt like they wanted to pop. Tears were streaming down her face from the pain, both emotional and physical.

“Ahsoka, I am so sorry. I don’t know how I did that. I don’t know….” Ben told her crawling over to her. 

He put his hand on her shoulder and she jerked away “Don’t touch me!” She snapped. She laid on the ground covering her face, crying in her hands. It was too much all at once, too many memories, and none of the good ones she had. She couldn’t even remember any of the great memories she had.

Ben backed away from her, he was scared for her, he had seen, heard, and felt everything. He wanted to comfort her, she had tried to help him and he hurt her, hurt her so deeply, even if it was unintentional. “I’m a monster aren’t I?” He said to no one in particular. He felt he must be. All his dreams, memories, whatever they were of pain, and now he had hurt the only person he’d seen in forever, someone who seemed to be trying to help him. He was a monster, which is why he was in this wasteland.

“No Ben, I don’t think you are a monster, I just think you are lost.” Ahsoka said sitting up and wiping the tears from her face. “What I was doing just backfired on me, but we did find out your name, at least I think that is your name.” She said trying to smile for him. She knew it wasn’t his fault, it must have been a skill he possessed before he came to the Wellspring, and also knew that she would never try that again. “Ben, we’ve got to get you out of here and I can only think of one place to find your past. We will have to travel to the Worlds between Worlds. But first we must find you something to wear.” She said getting to her feet. 

Ben stood up beside her and looked down. “Something in black I think.” He said. Ahsoka raised her brow at him. Ben shrugged, “I just think it would be my color.”


	7. Chapter 7

Rey and Geralt had been riding quietly for a few hours which Geralt was grateful for, he enjoyed the silence. Rey was getting better at riding he noticed, she had figured out how to get the horse to turn without pissing it off, even if he did find a calm gelding for her even the calmest horse would get annoyed with its rider. He figured she was doing well enough to go a little faster, he had already lost time and still had to get papers, now for the both of them, to get into Novigrad. “How are you doing over there?” He asked.

“Oh, I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. It’s a bit like riding a speeder.” She answered, in which she was feeling very confident on Vader. During their time traveling she would reach down and stroke his neck, not sure if the animal appreciated it or not but she wanted to connect with Vader.

“Think we can kick it up a notch?” He asked.

She gave him small smile, she wanted to see what Vader could do.

“Grab his mane like this.” Geralt said grabbing Roaches mane as well as holding the reigns. “Then you’ll just give a little kick to his hind to tell him to get going. Once he starts though you’ll want to lean forward a bit and stand a little in your stirrups.” He watched as Rey followed his instructions without the light kick for practice, but apparently the horse knew what she wanted as soon as she got into position. Rey felt Vader’s hind quarters go down and he bolted.

At first she was terrified and almost lost her seat, but once she gained control and felt the wind in her face, felt the strength of the animal beneath her she started laughing out of enjoyment. She didn’t even hear Geralt coming up behind her yelling at her to pull the reigns back. Vader was following the road, trees whizzing past her, then she noticed Geralt beside her. Before she knew what was happening he reached out and grabbed her off the horse pulling her onto his own in front of him.  
“Whoa Roach.” He said pulling back on the reigns. She tried to wrap her arms around Roach’s neck so she wouldn’t fall off, but Geralt’s arm was around her waist holding her tight to him. The horse was slowing down and finally stopped. “I should have taught you how to stop.” Geralt said in Rey’s ear. He got down from the horse and held his arms out to help Rey down which she accepted. She sat to the side and let Geralt help her down. They were standing face to face, well, face to chest. Her breathing still a bit hard from the exhilaration from the ride. She looked up and noticed he was looking down at her, his face not giving away any emotion. She started to feel blustered and tried to step back, but Roach hadn’t moved so there was nowhere to go. “Ummmmm, thanks for that.” She told him, the exhilaration fading fast but nervousness building with him staring at her. His yellow catlike eyes intensely boring into her like he was trying to figure her out which he was. He had only met a few women like this woman. He could have sworn she was laughing as the horse bolted running as fast as it could. Most women, hell, most people that hadn’t ridden a horse would have been terrified, and she seemed to enjoy it.

She was starting to feel uncomfortable at his gaze, not knowing what he was thinking, not knowing if he was mad at her, annoyed at her, or just at this point to get rid of her. She wondered if he were thinking of just leaving her in the middle of nowhere, she was sure she could survive, but with the talk of monsters and remembering just the wolves it was enough that she didn’t want to be alone in this strange land. She had no credits, no weapon, and no clue. If she were to get back to her ship she didn’t even know if it would even be able to get off the ground, let alone get her back to Chandrila.

She did know one thing though, she needed to break away from his gaze. She ducked away from him and surveyed the land. “Where is Vader? Do you think he is okay?” She asked looking around for the horse.

Geralt looked around to figure out where they were and knew that they weren’t very far from where they needed to be. “He’s around, probably found some grass. This is a good place to stop anyway, before we get to the damned stinking marshes.” 

“But if we are close then why stop?” Rey asked confused.

“Well I don’t know about you, but I am hungry.” Geralt said looking in his saddle bags. He pulled out a couple small loaves of bread. Rey’s stomach growled loudly at the sight of them and Geralt smiled. “We can eat, let the horses eat and rest then we will be on our way.”

Rey looked around again for Vader worried that he was now gone. “But….”

“Sit, eat, rest.” Geralt said pointing to a grassy area by the road. Rey did as she was told, she was extremely hungry realizing it had been a while since she had last eaten. Before she was with the resistance she was used to going days without a meal, but since she had gotten used to eating daily and didn’t want to even remember the ache of a few days without food.  
Geralt sat beside her and handed her one of the small loaves. “Thanks.” She said as she took the bread from him. She took a bite and chewed. It wasn’t the best meal she had had in her life, but definitely not the worst. She noticed him looking at her again, and she took another bite, chewed and swallowed. She was feeling uncomfortable again, maybe it was because he kept staring at her and she couldn’t read him. Maybe it was just the silence. She decided to figure out which one it was. “When I was maybe 10 I almost died. I lived on my own in a desert, food was scarce, water even more so. I salvaged ships from a previous war for parts that could be sold in the nearby town, Nima Outpost, to a slimy Crolute named Unkar Plutt. He kept me until I left him to scavenge on my own. Well I remember one year I became ill. I was so weak that I could hardly sit up let alone stand or scavenge parts. I remember that I was cold while being in the desert heat but when I touched my skin it was on fire, even my eyes felt like they were on fire and it was painful keeping them open.” She sighed and took another bite. She didn’t tear her gaze from the wooded area in front of them, though she knew that he wasn’t looking at her now, he was just listening.

“I woke up one day, not even knowing what day it was. My throat was dry and I was on my last bit of water that I drank quickly, it was just a few drops really. I was feeling stronger but was so weak. I don’t think I had eaten for at least 4 or 5 days. My stomach felt like it was eating itself, I just wanted it filled. I crawled out of my makeshift home, an abandoned AT-AT and started eating the hot sand. I grabbed a handful of sand and shoved it in my mouth, it was so hard to swallow. It stuck in my mouth, on my lips, and down my throat. I couldn’t even swallow it because I was so dehydrated that I didn’t even have spit. I coughed as much as I could out. The pain was unbearable, probably the worst pain I had ever gone through up to that point in my life. I felt as if I were choking, I couldn’t catch my breath due to the coughing and the sand coating my throat.” She took another bite and was silent for a moment remembering that day. At the time she wondered how she lived but now she knew that the force helped, not just surviving the illness, but also bringing help. “As I was in my coughing fit a woman ran to me and handed me a canteen of water. It was the best thing I had ever tasted in my life. I remember it washing the sand out of my mouth, coating my throat, giving me life again. I drank it so fast that a minute later it came back up. The woman helped me back into my home and handed me another canteen. I drank it slower this time. She tried to get me to go with her to her village but I didn’t want to go, so I stayed. She did leave me with a quarter ration and the rest of the second canteen so I gained a little strength to scavenge the next day.” 

She glanced his way and saw that indeed he was listening to her story. She noticed his face was hard, she could see his jaw tightening, but he still didn’t look at her, but straight ahead.

“You are the first person I’ve ever told that part of my past too.” She admitted.

Geralt then looked at her, his face still hard. “Who was the woman? Why didn’t you go with her?”

Rey smiled thinking about the village she was invited to. “She was part of what I thought at the time a Cult called Church of the Force. I thought they were all crazy with their talk of the force and Jedi. Thinking about it now it was either the dumbest thing refusing their help, or the smartest.”

“Why the dumbest thing?” Geralt asked. 

“Well, they may have been able to help me with the force. To use it, to understand it better. But if I had they may have taken me to Master Luke’s temple and I would have been slaughtered with the rest of his students.” She told him shrugging. “Can’t change the past though can you?

“Hmm.” Geralt grunted. “Let’s find your horse and be on our way.” He said standing and offering her his hand which she took. 

She stretched her muscles not realizing how much they hurt until now between the ship wreck and riding her body was screaming at her. What she wouldn’t give for a hot shower and a soft bed, but she couldn’t stop now.


	8. Chapter 8

Rey was hit with the stench of rotten earth and rotting bodies, she gagged at the smell. Geralt looked over to her wondering if she would be able to handle this land but there was no other choice. He needed to find the man that was rumored to have the papers needed to enter Novigrad. The woods suddenly opened up to a clearing of marshes. She could see people moving about the area, looking like they were trying to clean up the carnage that littered the wetland. “Geralt? What happened here?” She asked as they passed an old woman crying over an old man that lay dead. Dried blood covering him and his clothes.

“War.” Geralt told her.

Rey knew there were always two sides to a war. The Jedi and the Sith, the Republic and the Separatists, the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, the First Order and the Resistance. Which side was Geralt on she wondered. Was she riding with a man who believed in tyrannical beliefs? “Geralt? What side of this war are you on?” She asked quietly.

“Mine” was his only answer.

Rey thought about his answer as they rode through the wetlands and the bodies. Did he not have any morals? Any thoughts of his world and the people around him suffering meant nothing to him. “Do you not care about anyone but yourself?” She asked in disbelief.

“Hmmm.” He grunted not even looking at her.

“These people that are mourning their loved ones, do you feel anything for them?” She asked incredulously.

Geralt whoa’d his horse to a stop and Rey followed. This time he did turn to her when he spoke. “These people hate me. These people would rather see me dead, you too for that matter. This is a war, people die on both sides, and if what you told me is true, you know that better than anyone. You stated that you just won a war. How many died? How many on both sides died? Did you care about anyone on the other side that died?” He chided.

Rey thought about what he said, and he was right. So many that had died in the Resistance, as well as the New Republic, not to mention the First Order or Final Order, she knew of the death, but instead of calling it such the resistance considered it a victory never thinking of those that had died. Many that were forced from children to the life of the First Order like her dear friend Fin. She suddenly felt ashamed. War meant death, for both sides. She said nothing and hung her head slightly.

“I thought so. People believe that Witchers do not feel, that we care about nothing, but that isn’t true. We care deeply for some, so deeply that we can’t care for others or it would drive us mad. When we love we love fiercely.” He told her sharply, he then clicked and told Roach to go. Roach started to gallop through the war zone and Rey prodded Vader to follow.

They stopped at a river and Rey saw a man with a beard and horrible haircut. “Stay here.” Geralt told Rey as he got down from roach. Rey stayed on her horse and watched Geralt go to the man by the River. She was close enough that she could hear their conversation.

“Come for a pass?” the man ask, then looked at Rey up and down that gave her the creeps. “Or two?” 

“We need papers, I was told you were the man to see.” Geralt said stepping between Rey and the man.

“Oi, I have a few left, but it will cost ya.” He said with a blackened smile, he pulled out a piece of paper showed it to Geralt.

“What? Could dress up like Radovid and buy a gilded carriage for that much.” Gerald told the man

“What’m I ta do if you can’t afford it.” The man said with a smirk.

“No deal.” Geralt told him and started to walk away.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa! Hold up.” He told Geralt trying to keep him from leaving. “Might have a little work for you…. Reduce the price for a job well done. Eh?”

“What kind of work?”

“Nearby, just to the south-east, me sister’s husband’s got a business. He and some lads tidy up battlefields. Problem is there’s always swarms of shite botherin’ ‘em – you know, them monsters drawn to corpses. Give ‘im some protection, and I’ll swing you one beautiful discount.”

“All right, see what I can do.” Geralt said with a shrug.

Geralt walked to Rey, “stay here, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Rey looked over at the shady merchant who was eyeing her hungrily, “I’m going with you.” She told him, she didn’t want to stay behind with him almost salivating over her.

“No!”

“I’m definitely not staying here.” She said tilting her chin up in defiance.

“Hmmm.” Geralt grunted and looked back at the merchant and caught him staring. “Fine but stay behind. There will be monsters and I don’t need to be distracted by trying to keep you safe as well.”   
Geralt mounted his horse and they were on their way to the south-east, once they arrived the edge of the battlefield Geralt got off Roach and told Rey to stay there with the horses. She agreed as he watched Geralt walk into the field until he was out of sight. 

The sun was going down and a chill was in the air which made her shiver. Once she left the desert and started visiting other worlds she had learned she wasn’t a fan of the cold, and also learned that what was cold to her was comfortable to others that weren’t from a hot planet like Jakku. 

She was watching men that she could see filtering though the deceased’s things. She felt bad for those that were dead, but these men were just like her, they were scavengers. They needed to live, to feed their families and they would do what they had to do to live. She heard a snarl behind her and before she knew what was happening Vader reared up on his hind legs, she tried to hold on to his neck as not to fall off but couldn’t get a grip in time and slid down the animal hitting the ground hard. She stood up and saw that both Vader and Roach were running away. Looking behind her she saw what they were running from. There was a creature headed straight for her. It’s sickly greenish and pocked skin sagged on its parts of its body, its nose flat on his face, there were no lips she could see, but she could see the sharp teeth as it snarled at her charging her. Purple veins popped out all over its muscled body where the skin was taut, and its hands which it used to help him run where huge with long sharp black claws. It was a nasty looking thing and she wanted to be away from it quickly. She started to run to the battlefield in hopes that she could out run the nasty creature but it was quicker than she expected. She turned and sent out a force push that pushed it across the field. She hoped that would be enough and she would be able to escape, she didn’t have her light saber so she had to rely on the force. She watched as the thing stood back up after the push and shook his head like it was trying to clear the cobwebs out. She saw it scan the area where its eyes fell back upon her and started to charge at her again.

“Kriff.” She said turning around and running hoping to find either a weapon or Geralt, whichever came first. She ran as fast as she could which wasn’t very quickly at all, her feet sinking in the mud at each step. Stumbling to get back on her feet she looked around and saw men fighting similar creatures in the distance. She was running towards the men when she tripped over a body and fell face first in the mud. She turned around and saw the creature getting closer, she looked around her and lucky for her found a weapon not very far where she fell. She crawled in the mud and grabbed the heavy sword with both hands and got to her knees, the creature closing in on her fast. She then used the force and started throwing objects that were littered around her at the thing, a shield flew towards it and it knocked it away before it struck it. It slowed at this and growled at her. She stood raising the sword, the creature looked as if it were assessing the situation and lunged at her. She swung the blade at it hitting it across its shoulder, it screamed in pain at her and lunged again. This time she was able to stab it in its gut. Red blood gushed from the wound, and it stumbled a bit. It started to circle Rey wounded but not giving up. “Die already!” Rey yelled at the creature.

“Rey!” She heard behind her, she turned and saw Geralt running towards her sword in hand. While she was paying attention to her name being yelled out she caught the creature coming for her from the corner of her eye. She turned sharply and pierced the sword into the creature’s chest, as it went through bone and flesh the creature lashed out with his clawed hands and made contact with her stomach. She let go of the sword and grabbed her stomach in shock, she could feel warm sticky liquid oozing through her fingers. She pulled her hand away and saw that it was red with her blood. Looking back up she saw the creature was pulling the sword out of its chest with a loud shrieking cry, but before it even was able to pull the weapon completely off she saw Geralt standing over it and with a single stroke of his sword the creatures head was detached from its body.

Geralt rushed over to where Rey stood. “I told you to stay with the horses damn it!” He said sternly while removing Rey’s hands from the wound to see how badly she was hurt. He saw 3 long slashes turning her once white tunic now turned red. 

“Sorry, I was thrown from Vader, it came from behind.” She told him, her hands starting to tremble and her knees becoming weaker by the second. 

“Can you do what you did to Roach to yourself?” He asked. 

She shook her head no, “It doesn’t work like that.” 

He swept her up in his arms careful as not to hurt her any further and walked her to a fallen cart on the battlefield laying her down gently. He gave a shrill whistle and started to look over Rey further making sure she had no other wounds. “I’m going to have to lift your bindings Rey, I need to check how bad this really is.” He told her. A tear rolled down her temple and Geralt felt a tug at his heart for the girl. Rey looked over and saw Roach trot towards them Vader following the red horse. She watched as Geralt rummaged through his saddlebags, he withdrew a vile of a red substance and some cloth. “This should help with the bleeding and healing, its’ called Swallow.” He told her pouring the substance over the wound. It stung horribly, she clenched her teeth from keep from screaming at the burn. “It’s supposed to be drank, but I’m afraid that it would kill you, it’s toxic to humans. Prey to whatever God you believe in that it works.” He told her.

She looked at him and saw that there was worry on his face, he was no longer mad at her. “What God do you believe in Geralt?” She asked trying to keep her mind off the pain ravaging through her midsection. What she wouldn’t do for some Bacta about now. Or even better Ben. He could save her without poisoning her. Her eyes started tearing again, this having nothing to do with the pain of the wound, but the pain of losing Ben. She had loved him and he had died for her. Would it be better if she were to die right now, to become one with the force and be with Ben again? She closed her eyes trying to feel the force around her, she felt the grief, the death, and the horrors that surrounded battlefields so she quickly drew back. Instead she laid there and felt Geralts hands working on her wound, cleaning it, and trying to bandage it as well as he could. 

“You’ll be riding with me the rest of the way. I’ve staunched the bleeding for now but your body might fight the toxins in the swallow.” He told her as he lifted her from the cart and as gently as he could put her on the back of Roach. She did her best to stay on the mount but was quickly getting dizzy. Suddenly she felt him behind her on the saddle, he grabbed the reigns with one hand and put his other arm around her. “Lean back into me, no sense of using more energy than needed.” He told her in her ear. She followed his instruction and felt instantly more at ease. It still hurt, but it did lessen not having to hold herself up in the saddle.

She tilted her head up to look at him. “Where is Vader?” She asked. She hoped that the creatures hadn’t gotten to him, that he was safe.

“He is tied to Roach following.” He told her looking down at her. He smiled looking into her eyes amused that she was worried about a horse that had thrown her. She looked back and saw her horse following along and smiled. 

She looked back up at him. “Thank you Geralt of Rivia.”

“Don’t thank me yet Rey of Jakku.” He said his smiling face turning back to stone.


	9. Chapter 9

Rey woke up in a small room, it was much like the Inn Geralt had taken her to before. She threw the blanket off her and noticed she was in a long white sleeping gown. Had Geralt changed her clothes? She bunched the gown up over her stomach looking at the wounds. There were three nasty cuts on her stomach but they looked as if they had been cleaned and stitched up. She swung her feet off the bed and stood. She went to the window and saw the scenery. It looked as if were a bustling town. There was an outdoor market with people buying and selling wears on the cobble stone square. The buildings all looked as if they were made of stone or brick, clean and well taken care of. There were vines growing on some of the buildings which just gave them more charm.

The door slamming made Rey jump, she spun around expecting to see Geralt, but instead a young woman with flaming red hair and pale skin stood in the doorway. “Ahhh, I see you are awake.” She said closing the door. “Good.”

“Who are you?” Rey asked eyeing the girl. She didn’t know where Geralt was or who this was. She would play dumb until she learned if the girl was friend or foe.

“Triss.” She answered walking over to Rey looking her up and down. “I’m surprised you can stand, between the ghoul injuries then the poisoning you should be dead. Even with my help, you shouldn’t have survived that, the Sparrow alone should have killed you. Why aren’t you dead?” She asked skeptically. 

Foe Rey’s mind thought quickly. The way the girl was looking at her like she was ready to torture answers from her, definitely foe. “I don’t know.” Rey said standing her ground trying to show this girl wouldn’t intimidate her.

“Hmmmmmm…” Triss thought aloud. “Geralt told me your story, but it’s pretty farfetched child.”

Rey snorted at being called a child from someone who looked to be the same age as herself. “Where is Geralt?”

“Oh, here or there. Asked me to keep an eye on you. When you came in 3 days ago you were wounded and fever had taken over your body. I’ve tended your wounds, used some magic, the rest you did yourself.” Triss said walking to stand right in front of Rey. They were both about the same height so neither had to look up nor down to stare at each other on face level. Tris’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want from him Child?”

Rey’s jaw dropped. “What do I want?” Rey was aghast. “I just want to go back to my ship and go home to my friends.” Rey told her feeling almost defeated. She was light years away from her friends, light years away from anything she knew, and here she was, wounded and tired being interrogated by a woman she didn’t even know.

Triss looked at Rey confused. She surely thought that this girl was trying to use Geralt for some reason. That she must have put a spell on him in some way. When Geralt had found her he was frantic with worry, or as frantic as Geralt would show. Triss thought it was a spell put on him, it had to be. He would come to the Inn at least twice a day asking how the girl was, if there was any change, and then he would stay with her throughout the night. When she was burning with fever he would wipe her forehead with a damp cool cloth. She had seen him telling the sleeping girl different stories in his life, his life with Yen, Dandelion, and surprisingly he would talk to her about Ciri. He had told Triss that he had found the girl in a metal carriage that was half in the ground. That she was unconscious when he found her and when she woke she told him that she wasn’t of this world and that she was a sorceress with a blade of light. Of course she believed none of it and that this girl had used an illusion of some sort on him, but after seeing this girl’s reaction to the accusations she wasn’t so sure.

Rey sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m not from this world. I’m not a sorceress, I’m a Jedi, the last actually. It sounds so Sith come to think about it.” Rey said, just saying whatever came to her mind. She didn’t care at the moment. “There are only two, the Master and the Apprentice.” She looked up at Triss. “I have an apprentice, his name is Fin. My plan was to go around the galaxy and learn all I could about the Jedi, about the Sith and learn from both. Then open an academy for those strong in the force, to teach them the ways, not in the dark side or the light, but just the force.”

Triss sat beside her, “What is the force?” She asked genuinely curious.

“The force is in everything, it moves in and out like a tide. It is in life, as it is in death. It’s what gives us breath, it is where our last breath goes as we die. We are born in the force, and die in the force.” Rey said with a small smile. “There are those in the galaxy that can manipulate the force.” She lifted the chair that sat in the corner of the room. “I’m a force user, trained by Master Luke Skywalker, then by Master Leia Organa Solo. The two greatest siblings in the entire galaxy.” Rey was silent in thought for a moment, “Well Leia was a bit better than her brother, but I can’t judge him in such a way.”

Triss still didn’t fully understand what she was talking about, the force or any of it, but she seemed genuine and she didn’t really wish to upset Geralt by not taking care of his friend. She was also impressed at the girl lifting the chair so effortlessly. Maybe she could learn that little trick from her. She could do things like that but she needed incantations and such to work. This girl did it with just her will it seemed. “Well….” She realized she didn’t remember what name Geralt had told her. 

“Rey.”

“Well Rey, let’s not have our mutual friend upset at me for not taking care of you like I promised I would.” She said getting up. “I’m going to have someone bring you up a bath, because I hate to say it but you kind of smell.” She said scrunching her nose at Rey.

Rey smiled at Triss and Triss was taken aback by how she seemed to brighten the room with just her smile. It was like there was an aura around the girl that shone like the brightest star, she now understood why Geralt would be drawn to her. His life was darkness and pain, and this girl could wipe it away with her presence, her smile. He may not be able to see her aura, but he knew that there was something that took that darkness away. “I’ll be back shortly. You will need new clothes as well, I may have some that fit.” She said at the doorway sizing Rey up thinking that they may be close to the same size.

“Triss?” Rey said as she was leaving. Triss poked her head back into the room. “Thank you.” Triss smiled at Rey and shut the door behind her.

Rey stood back up and smelled under her arms, she was indeed pretty rank. She hoped that the baths of this world were warm, she hated bathing in cold water. She saw a mirror over the dresser in the room, tarnished and old, she looked into it and saw that her hair was stringy and still had mud in it, thought her skin had been cleaned of the blood and mud. She hoped it was Triss that had stripped her and cleaned her as best she could her cheeks visibly turn red in the mirror. 

There was a knock on the door and it opened. A young girl about 13 entered dragging a wooden tub. “Missus, I was asked to bring this up to ye. Where do ye want it?” She asked.

“You can leave it there, I’ll move it into the room.” Rey told the young girl. She looked visibly relieved as she looked as if she were having trouble pulling the large object. 

“Yes missus, I’ll jus’ go fetch the water then.” She said backing out of the room. Once the girl had left Rey moved the tub to the center of the room with the force. A couple minutes later she heard a knock on the door and the girl was back along with three young men carrying large buckets of water. Rey watched as the children poured the water in the tub, she watched the steam rise and smiled a bit to herself thinking how wonderful a warm bath would feel. She was excited, the girl placed a table by the tub filled with soaps, oils, a wooden pitcher, and a couple towels. “If you need anything else missus just ring this bell.”

“What’s your name?” Rey asked the girl.

“Molly, missus.”

Rey smiled at the girl. “Thank you Molly.” The girl smiled back and scurried out the door.

Rey looked at the soaps and oils on the table smelling them one at a time. She found an oil that she liked, it smelled like a mix of citrus and fruit with a hint of rose and poured a bit in the bath. The steam that rolled from the hot water smelled of the scent as she breathed it in. She dipped her fingers in the water to check the temperature and found it a bit hotter than she liked, but thought it might do her muscles well. Untying the neckline of the borrowed gown she wore she let it slip down and pool around her feet. Stepping into the tub and laying down in the water as far as she could go she thought she had to be in a dream because this felt too good to be awake.

She grabbed a washcloth from the table and selected a bar of soap, she smelled it and there was a piney scent with a hint of floral. The smell alone relaxed her further. Dipping both in the hot water she lathered up the cloth and started scrubbing the built up grime from her body. After she had scrubbed every inch of herself she dunked her head below the water scrubbing the dirt and mud out of her hair. She took the bar of soap and cleaned her hair then dunked her head back in the tub again to rinse the lather out. She looked at the water and knew it was dirty but she wasn’t ready to leave the enveloping water that was starting to lose its heat quickly. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the lip of the tub relaxing.

“Ahem” She heard in front of her. She jumped startled, she had fallen asleep in the tub.

Looking up she saw Geralt standing at the foot of the tub. “Geralt” She shrieked sinking into the tub trying to hide her body from him. She could feel her entire body getting warm with embarrassment, she was sure that it was heating the water back up.

“Rey, it’s not like I’ve never seen a nude woman before.” Geralt said smirking at her.

“Yes, maybe you have, but I’ve never been seen naked by a man before!” Rey yelled at him. “Please turn around!” 

Geralt did as she asked and turned, he wasn’t used to modesty in a woman. He was used to them either running from him or towards him, normally there was no middle. From what he had seen just now she shouldn’t be ashamed of her body, she seemed to be muscular, but also soft. She wasn’t too thin or have too much meat on her bones. Freckles dotted her shoulders and her nose and cheeks. He smelled lavender and geranium from the bath, the scent suited her well. She was quite beautiful and shouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen.

She stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her as quickly as she could, the cool air making her shiver and her skin bump from the chill. She took the other towel and dried all her exposed body, then once she was dry enough she wrapped it around her hair. “You can turn around now.” She said.  
“I hadn’t realized you were so modest.” He told Rey. She said nothing and just looked at the floor turning red in embarrassment again. He decided to change the subject. “Where is Triss?” 

“She went to get me something to wear, she said my clothes wouldn’t do.”

“Hmmm.” Geralt grunted. “She’s right. You did stick out around here.”

Just as the force was trying to save her Triss came in the room holding a bag of what Rey hoped was suitable clothing, nothing too revealing. “Oh dear, did I interrupt something?” 

“Oh stars no!” Rey said quickly. “Please tell me you have something more than a towel to wear.” She pleaded to Triss.

Triss looked over at Geralt, he did not look happy at all. She lifted her brow toward him and he scowled even more at her. “I’ll leave you ladies to it.” He said leaving the room not looking at either woman as he left.

Triss looked at Rey confused and Rey blushed. “Did I interrupt something?” She asked more seriously. 

Rey didn’t think she could blush more but that question proved she indeed could. “No, of course not. I fell asleep in the bath because it was so relaxing and he came in and saw me naked!” Rey whisper shouted at her.

Triss smiled at Rey not understanding why she was so embarrassed. “Do you have a third tit or something that I didn’t see cleaning you up?” Triss asked jokingly.

“No, nobody… I mean, I’ve never… Triss, I’ve never been seen nude by a man.”

“Oh sweetie,” Triss said putting her arm around her shoulder. “Have you never heard of the birds and the bees?”

“Triss!” Rey said playfully pushing her off.

“Come on, let’s get you dressed.” Triss told her with a smile.


	10. Chapter 10

Geralt was sitting at the Tavern drinking the ale he had ordered from the innkeeper. He was feeling guilty looking at Rey the way he had not realizing she was truly pure of virtue. Most girls her age, even those of royalty had experiences with men. She was truly beautiful and he was surprised to discover her modesty. 

Lost in thought he hadn’t noticed that the room had gotten quiet. He looked around to see what caused the silence and looked the direction the other patrons were looking. Triss and Rey was walking down the stairs and between the two he fully understood. Triss walked with confidence wearing her black trousers, and her leather vest showing much more cleavage than he remembered when he saw her upstairs. She knew she was a beauty having been told all her life, which had been lived much longer than Rey. 

When he saw Rey he noticed that Triss had her arm intertwined with Rey’s as she was trying to coax Rey down the stairs. Triss had done well with the choice of clothes for the girl though. She was wearing black leather britches and knee length black leather boots. She had a simple white shirt and a black leather under breast corset that had chainmail draped over it, she also wore a long burnt orange coat that fit her perfectly. Triss had also apparently done Rey’s hair, two braids from the side of her head met in the back creating one braid, and strands of her shorter hair framing her face. He was soon afraid he would have to fight every man in the Tavern.

They reached Geralt, Triss smiling brightly, Rey keeping her head down trying to avoid the stares her way. “Well Geralt, doesn’t our girl look breath taking?” she asked.  
“Hmmm.” Geralt grunted. Though he did notice that less and less tavern patrons were paying attention to them now that the women had engaged in friendly conversation with him. Conversations were starting to fill the air, though by the way some of them would take a peek at the three we was pretty sure of what they were talking about. “We’ve got to go. I think I’ve found a lead on Dandelion.” He said finishing his drink.

“We? I can’t go with you Geralt. I have a job to do here.” Triss told him.

“More rats?” He asked amused.

Triss crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “You just keep our girl safe.”

“Our girl?” Geralt said raising an eyebrow. “I’ll keep her safe, though I don’t think that she needs much protecting. I’ve seen what she can do.” 

Rey rolled her eyes at the two. “Thank you Triss for everything.” 

Triss smiled at Rey and took her hand. “Keep him safe Rey.” She then kissed Rey on the cheek. She looked at Geralt and gave him a wink as she walked towards the door. Geralt watched as mens eyes followed her.

“You two seemed to make friends pretty quickly.” Geralt told Rey. She just shrugged. He put some coins on the bar and got up to leave, Rey followed him at his heels.

When they exited the Tavern from the back door into a courtyard, the sun blinded Rey for a second, but then she looked over and saw Roach and Vader tied to a hitching post. Rey looked at Geralt and smiled brightly. “You’ve brought him with you.”

Geralt looked down sheepishly and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “Yeah, figured you’d use your light blade on me if I didn’t.”

“Hey Freak!” A gruff male voice behind them yelled. Both Geralt and Rey turned around. “Who told ya that ya can walk ‘round here like ya own the place then take our women?”

Geralt counted about 8 of them, he could do it, but didn’t want to cause a scene. He could use a spell but wasn’t sure that it would work on them all, one or two at the most. Geralt looked at Rey, she wasn’t sheepish now, she stood feet apart assessing the men, if she had a sword she would look like she was ready for battle. “Stay here.” Geralt told her.

Before he moved she went up to the group, it was far from the girl he had just witnessed in the room not too long ago. 

She heard Geralt’s steps behind her, she turned around. “Stay here… trust me.” She told him..

“Gentlemen.” She said with a cheery smile. She had their attention and waived her hand. “You do not wish to fight this man.” She said in a soothing voice.

The man who had called Geralt a freak said, “We don’t want to fight this man.” The group in agreement with him.

“You will let us pass with no incident.” She said again in her soothing voice.

“We will let you pass with no incident.” The leader said mimicking her words.

“Thank you gentlemen.” Rey said, noticing one man in the back. He wasn’t taking the mental prod as well as the others.

“Oi! What the ‘ell?” He said to the others, “we came out to kill this freak and take the girl! She’d fetch a pretty coin!” He pushed the leader and they all seemed to snap out of it, none looking to happy.

“She’s a freak too!” The leader said. “Get her.” 

One of the men grabbed at Rey and she dodged his advances, Geralt was in front of her like a flash of lightning striking the man across the chest. Rey saw a shovel leaning against the wall, using the force she called it into her hands. It wasn’t the best staff but it would do in a pinch. Geralt was fighting the majority of the men she watched as he moved gracefully with his sword. The way he fought, the strength in his swings, the precise slices reminding her of Ben. They were both deadly fighters, but in a strange and beautiful way, the way they both fought was more like a dance than death.

Lost in her thoughts and awe of watching Geralt fight she hadn’t noticed the man coming up behind her. Large arms grabbed her around her waist shooting a blinding pain through her body from the prior injury. She took the shovel and jabbed his foot with it. The man’s leather boots saving him from losing toes, but hurting him enough to let go. “You bitch!” The man screamed at her. She glanced over and saw Geralt had only about two men left. She then paid attention to the man in front of her. She swung the staff hitting the man in the head breaking the metal shovel off the wooden handle. The man stood shook his head and started to charge her, she swung it again, more like she would her light saber this time and hit the man in the ear. “You fucking whore! I’m going to kill you!” He said grabbing his ear, pulling away he saw blood on his palm. He ran towards Rey again hands out. Rey grabbed the staff in the middle again and once the man was in range lunged it in his gut, she then swung the staff around and hit on the side of his head once more. This time he fell to the ground on his back. Rey stood over him, she was happy he was still alive though he was bleeding from his ear, and on the brink of unconsciousness. 

Rey noticed Geralt stood beside her, there was blood splattered on his face and clothes. He held his sword to the man’s neck. Rey put her hand on Geralt’s arm and he looked at her confused. “Mercy Geralt, it’s the Jedi way.” 

“Hmmm.” Geralt grunted. He then plunged his sword into the man’s throat. “Mercy is not the Witcher way.”

Rey frowned and turned away from the dying man. She couldn’t blame Geralt for his actions, this was his world, she was just a visitor, but it was hard to ignore her teachings. She went to Vader and mounted the horse. There was a twinge of pain from her injury, but she ignored it. She watched Geralt wipe the blood off his blade on the dead man’s clothes. He sheathed the weapon and mounted Roach. She looked over at him and he wouldn’t look at her. “Are you going to check them first for valuables?” she asked.

Geralt turned in his saddle to face her. “You are going to ask me for mercy, then have me steal from their dead bodies?” This girl was a complete contradiction, or maybe he was rubbing off on her, which he wasn’t sure if that was good or not. He had already pilfered through most of the dead men’s things. There wasn’t much, a few coin but nothing else of interest.

“I may be a Jedi, but I grew up a scavenger. That’s how I lived as a child, how I survived. You can take the girl out of Jakku, but you can’t take Jakku out of the girl.” She told him.

“Let’s go before someone comes out here and asks for explanations.” He said steering Roach towards the door. Rey followed, dodging the bodies that littered the courtyard. The horse’s hooves clopping on the cobblestone.

They rode in silence, Rey wondered what her life would have been like if she had grown up in a town, even a world like this. Would she be like Geralt? Would she be considered a freak like him? Would she have even learned that she has the force, or the magic of this world? Or maybe she would have been more like Triss, proud to show her body, use her looks to her advantage to get what she wanted. There was no way to know. She grew up in a hard land, with a hard life. She was a product of her environment, just as Geralt was, just as everyone she knew was a product of their own environment. She couldn’t blame anyone she knew of their transgressions.

She noticed that they were leaving the city, passing under the gates she saw there were small houses dotted the road that was now dirt again. There were people working in the fields, children were playing with wooden swords, and there were women laundering and cleaning around. “Geralt? Where are we going anyway?”

“I’ve got to find Dandelion, he’s seen Ciri and might know where she went.” 

“And is this Dandelion a friend or enemy?”

“It depends on what day it is. If he gives me the wrong answers about Whoreson he may be an enemy. Tomorrow he could be a friend.”

“Sounds complicated.” She said.

“It’s not. He is a friend, he is just the kind of man that can get under your skin, quickly.”

Rey smirked at Geralt, “Seems like that is almost anyone that you associate with.”

“Hmmm.” He grunted.

Rey needed something to take up the time. The scenery was nice but she needed a distraction. “Tell me a story about Dandelion and you.”

“No.” He said not even looking at her.

“Geralt, please. I need something to keep my mind off things, a story might just be what the doctor ordered. Plus, what else is there to do? Ride and brood in silence?”

“What’s on your mind that you want off so bad?” He asked, this time he did look at her as they continued forward on the road.

“Things that I don’t want to think about. Things from my past, people from my past. When I’m idle as I am now, just riding, I think about the past, and I’d rather not remember.” She told him, her thoughts already thinking about the Skywalkers… all of them.

“Hmm.” Geralt grunted. “I met Dandelion… let’s not talk about that. Do you want any other story?” He asked. He didn’t want to offend her virtue yet again. She was so strange this girl. Bring her violence and she would stand up and fight, give her sex or nudity and she would blush like a school girl.

“Fine, pick something that you feel you can talk about.” She said cheerily.

Geralt didn’t want to talk, he was a doer, not a talker, and not a story teller. He left that to Dandelion. “How about you tell me a story.” He suggested.

Rey tried to think of a story that wasn’t heartbreaking but nothing came to mind. All her stories involved people she was missing or people that she had lost. She thought of when she saved BB-8 from Teto, how saving the little droid had changed her life. It brought her to Fin, Han and Chewie and the downward spiral of complications. When she was just a scavenger on Jakku there were no complications, just survival and waiting. It was the same basically every day. Scavenge, trade, eat, mark another day, sleep, and repeat.

“There is Zoltan’s man. Rey follow me.” He told her as he steered Roach off the road.

Rey followed up a craggy hill hoping that Vader wouldn’t lose his footing. At the top of the hill she saw a short man peering down at the road below. Geralt dismounted and Rey followed. The man was stout and looked strong to be as short as he was. He had a Mohawk of red hair and a bushy beard that matched. His face lined with wrinkles on his brow and around his eyes. It looked as if this man loved to laugh, and laughed often. Geralt stood by the man which was only half Geralts height. “Seems everything’s ready.” Geralt stated to his friend.

“Aye. Soon as we catch sight of ‘em, we’ll block the road. ‘gainst the whole unit, if need be. And… you know I think it’s a great plan all around, and I’m always glad to help… And it’s not like I’m not eager to crack some holier-than-thou buggers’ skulls, but… Seein’ as we’ve got a Doppler, wouldn’t it’ve been easier to have him release Dandelion and-and be done with?” Zoltan asked Geralt, his voice full of trepidation.

“Too suspicious. Think about it – Menge disappears, then shows up with a scar on his face to release Dandelion?” Geralt answered.

Zoltan shook his head but agreed with Geralt, “Ehh, I suppose you’re right.”

Just then Rey stepped on a twig and it snapped, both men turning their eyes to her.

“Who’d we have here?” Zoltan asked eying her suspiciously.

“Zoltan, this is Rey. She is here to help me find Ciri.” Geralt told his friend.

“Ahhhh, a new sorceress you old dog.” Zoltan chuckled elbowing Geralts leg.

Rey smiled at the short man, she thought that she would like him. “It’s nice to meet you Zotan.”

Zoltan walked around Rey sizing her up. “You are a sorceress right? I mean most beauties like you are. But what I can’t figure out is there is no amulet.”

“Amulet?” Rey questioned looking from Zoltan to Geralt.

“It’s nothing, my friend is just too observant.” Geralt told her. “Rey, I might need you on this one. I’m not sure how many there will be, but they are human so not as dangerous as that ghoul you skewered.”

“Fat lot that did, it didn’t even kill him.” She said.

“What happened to Mercy?” Geralt asked with a smirk.

“I’m a survivor Geralt, in a situation where it’s kill or be killed it’s always better to kill.” She said looking him straight in his eyes. She wasn’t going to kill for the act, but she damn well wouldn’t die if she could do something about it. “Do I get my weapon?”

“It’s in Roaches saddlebag.” He told and left to collect her light saber.

She smiled, she had missed her weapon. Well not really her weapon, but the living crystal inside the weapon itself. She missed the way it hummed to her, made her feel at ease. She knew that it was in his saddle bags, she could hear it call to her when she was near Roach. She could feel the pulse of the force that the crystal radiated. It was like a friend coming home when he went to retrieve it for her.

Geralt returned with the hilt of her blade and handed it to her. “I guess this means you trust me not to take off your head while you sleep.” She beamed at him holding the hilt to her chest.

“Hmmm.” He grunted.

“Looks like your sword is missin’ it’s blade lass. What kind ‘o weapon is that? Doesn’t look like much of anything to me unless ye lookin’ to throw it at their heads.” Zoltan said looking at the black hilt.

Rey smiled at the man, then back at Geralt and winked.


	11. Chapter 11

Ben sat in the cockpit with Ahsoka. He knew how to fly the ship, even knew that it was a T-6 built in the ship yards of Slayn & Korpil. He knew what everything around him was, he wasn’t suffering from amnesia, he knew things, but he didn’t know who he was. 

Luckily Ahsoka had some body gloves deep in the hull of the ship, there was only one size, and the fit was very uncomfortable, but at least he was no longer naked. “Where are we going?” He asked Ahsoka.

“A place like darkness itself, it’s called Malachor.” She told him, peeking over to see if there was any reaction. She was a little nervous to take him to the Sith planet. She knew that there was darkness in Ben, and taking him to this dark place could awaken him. She needed to be very cautious.

“Malachor, a rocky and barren plant in the Outer Rim, the planet hosted a war thousand years ago between the Jedi and Sith called The Great Scourge of Malachor. It’s been said that both petrified Jedi and Sith still remain.” He said almost as if he were reading text from a datapad.

“You remember that but you don’t know who you are?” Ahsoka stated.

“I know things, I know how to fly this ship, probably better than you. I know events, places, people in the history books. I just don’t know my own history.” He said, his face or voice showing no emotion.

“First, I doubt you can fly this better than me. I’m old enough to be your Grandmother and have been flying this bucket before you were even thought of. Second, we will find out who you are Ben.” She told him giving him a smile. 

“Yeah, I guess.”

“You okay?” She asked, worry present in her voice.

“Ahsoka, what if I was a horrible person?” He said, his voice shaky. “What if I did horrible things? I feel like I was a terrible person.”

“Ben? Do you not want to go through this? Do you want to know who you are?”

“I feel as if who I was isn’t who I am.” 

Ahsoka didn’t say anything to his revelation. She wondered if deep down he knew the truth already but couldn’t handle the things that he might have done. This made her more determined to find out who he was. She could feel his force signature, and the more time she spent with him the more familiar it seemed. Like an old friend, just like the Priestess had said.

“We’re coming out of hyperspace.” Ahsoka said flipping different switches and buttons preparing the ship and giving her back the control.

Ben saw the bleak plant in front of them. It looked sickly and gray. He could feel that it was still strong in the force, darkness sang to him like a siren calling him to his doom. Closer and closer the anger boiled in his chest.

“Ben repeat after me.” Ahsoka said still piloting the ship. “There is no emotion, there is peace.”

Ben closed his eyes trying to push away the darkness, trying to ignore it’s call.

“Ben?”

“There is no Emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge, there is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the force.” Ben said breathing out hard. He knew the Jedi Code. He didn’t know when he had learned it but he did know it.

Ahsoka landed the ship on the flat surface of the planet. Ben noticed high rugged mountains in the distance. The planet looked even more desolate on the surface but it wasn’t dead, just dark.

“Are you up for this still Ben?” Ahsoka asked concern in her blue eyes.

Ben looked up at Ahsoka he was afraid but he needed to know. He needed to know who she was, who they all were. He needed to know who he was. “Yes.” 

They walked towards the mountains in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Ahsoka knew Ben had Jedi training, he knew the Jedi code without missing a beat but there was so much darkness lurking in him. Sadness overwhelmed her, again she thought of how strongly he reminded her of her old Master and friend Anakin. She glanced at Ben again suspicion creeping over her. Ben’s force signature reminded her of Anakin too. He looked nothing like Anakin, but looking at his eyes, she knew those eyes, the rich brown color, it was like looking in the past, it was like staring in the eyes of Padme Amidala. Ben was a Skywalker, there was no doubt in her mind and she was seriously doubting her actions in bringing him to the world between worlds.

Ben could feel that Ahsoka was bothered about something, maybe she knew the darkness within him was trying to take over. He had been repeating the code over and over each time the world was about to swallow him. ‘Peace is a lie’, no that’s not it ‘There is no emotion, there is only passion.’ That wasn’t it either. His thoughts were getting jumbled, he knew if he were ever to get answers he needed to keep the anger and rage at bay. “How much further?” He asked hoping that he would be able to make it.

Ahsoka looked up at the mountain, “There is a cave at the top of the mountain, we have to scale the mountain then go back down into the belly.”

“Let me guess, the highest peak.” He said, he could hear the anger and frustration in his voice and was sure she could too.

“Ben, a Jedi Master, Master Tolstoy, once told me that the strongest of all warriors are Time and Patience.” 

Ben pursed his lips, he needed to know. “Let’s go.”

Ahsoka watched as he started back on the track toward the mountain, she quickened her pace to catch up with him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Rey watched as Zoltan and Geralt played a card game they called Gwent. She wondered how they would fair in Sabacc. Suddenly they were interrupted by Zoltan’s look out running up the hill yelling “They’re comin’… they’re comin’ now!”

Zoltan ran down the steep hill and hid behind a tree that Rey had noticed looked as if it had been chopped at the base, just on the brink of falling over. They were going to make a road block, she thought. Rey and Geralt saw what they were up against. There were two carts, two men riding in the front of the caravan, two men walking behind them, a cart with a driver, two more men between the first cart and the second, then two more men on horseback in the rear. Ten men she thought. That shouldn’t be that bad.

Zoltan pushed the tree, it fell with ease spooking the horses in the front and throwing their riders. Geralt slid down the hill with ease, and Rey followed. It was much like skimming the sands of Jakku. She saw the soldiers pulling their swords ready to defend themselves as she was sliding down. Once they reached the bottom of the hill to the road they both turned to see a horse riding off and a man slung over the saddle by his capture yelling for help.

“Dandelion, dammit!” Geralt said as he watched them ride away.

“Geralt! Go after him! Leave these here to us!” Zoltan shouted.

“Rey, stay with Zoltan.” Geralt told her, she nodded. “Zoltan, don’t let her get hurt.”

“Get out o’ here, I’ll take care of the lass.”

Rey heard Geralt whistle and saw Roach trot up to him, before she knew it they were out of sight. She then turned her attention to the men on the road. Apparently they didn’t think her much of a threat since none of them had paid her any attention. There were three men fighting with Zoltan, which Rey was impressed, he was holding up pretty well considering the size difference. She wanted to even the odds for the man she had just met. She threw two of the men with the force, slamming them against the covered cart. She then ignited her saber, the hum of the blade singing. Between her use of the force and the golden blade she was wielding, all the attention was now on her.

One of the men charged at her, she spun and avoided the blade that slashed towards her. Pain shot through her stomach. The man that charged her came at her again, she then parried the steel and the sword was cut in half by the power of her saber. The shocked look on the man’s face was priceless. She could feel in the force two other men running towards, their blades ready to take her down. She slashed her blade down on the chest of the man that she had fought already. She turned on her heel and kneeled ready to attack the others closing in on her. Before they got to her one man fell with a gurgled groan, and Rey had seen that Zoltan’s ax was protruding out of the soldiers back. 

Rey ignored the pain in her midsection, she gathered her strength and called to the force. A bolt of green lightning crackled from her fingertips hitting the charging man in the chest. He fell writhing in pain. Rey stood and walked over the man. No Mercy she said to herself, and stuck her saber through the man’s chest like a hot knife through butter.

She looked around and saw no one was fighting, they were all staring at her. She could feel the fear of them all in the force, even from Zoltan, which saddened Rey She had just met the man, but she liked him and didn’t want him to be afraid of her.

The three remaining soldiers started to run away, would they tell the others about her? The girl with a golden sword who could shoot lightning from her fingers. She couldn’t risk it, she took a page out of Kylo Ren’s book and froze the three men immobilizing them. “What should we do with them?” She asked Zoltan.

He looked from her to the men. He didn’t know how to answer, she could feel he was confused of what to do. “How are ye doin’ that lass?” Was all he said.

“Zoltan! Do we tie them up or let them go?” She said, she was waning, her stomach was burning, and she could feel sweat dotting her brow and upper lip. “I can’t do this forever.” 

That seemed to get Zoltan moving, he hurried over to the men and stuck them in the chest one by one. Rey released the force freeze and all three men fell where they stood, and so did she. She hated that they were all killed but apparently Zoltan was a no mercy type man as well. She wondered if she should have let them escape.

Zoltan ran to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder, “Are ye alright lass?” He asked.

She could see the worry on his face, in his voice. He may have been afraid of what she could do, but he wasn’t afraid of her which relieved her a bit.

“I think I over did it a little. I’ll be okay though.” She told Zoltan giving him a weak smile. She stood up gingerly, she could feel sticky, wet blood soaking her shirt behind the corset she wore. She had opened her wounds and it hurt, but she didn’t want to worry her new friend so she did her best to ignore the pain and the blood.

“Come on lass, let’s find Geralt.” Zoltan said watching her carefully. “Do you think he got his man?”

Rey reached out in the force and felt Geralt’s signature, he was alive, and not hurt. “Has he ever not gotten his man?” she asked.

Zoltan laughed, it was a deep and honest laugh that Rey liked. “ye’ve got a point lass.” He said as they walked to where their horses were at the top of the hill.

“That was a serious question, not rhetoric. Has he ever not gotten his man?” She asked.

This made Zoltan laugh even harder. “Nay lass, he’s always gotten his man. Women though, that’s a different story.”

Rey laughed with Zoltan, his laugh being contagious, she couldn’t remember the last time she had truly laughed. She had to stop though due to the pain it caused.

Rey and Zoltan caught up with Geralt and another man in a small village. As they were walking up the trail she noticed Geralt and the man talking. He looked to be in his early thirties, brown hair under a purple hat with a feather stuck in the side of it. He sported a tidy mustache and a chin puff. His clothes though, his clothes is what made his stand out the most, the tunic he wore was purple with gold embroidery, it even had puffed satin sleeves. The man reminded her of a Kiros bird.

Geralt and the man turned when they heard them arriving. “Geralt! Who is this beauty?” The kiros bird man asked.

Rey looked at Geralt with a raised eyebrow. Geralt only answered by crossing his arms and shaking his head in disapproval.

“I’m Rey.” She said with a smile.

“Oh Rey, her radiance outshines the sun itself.” the man said bowing deeply. “My name is Dandelion, and I’m at your service.”

No Dandelion, right now you are at my service.” Geralt said moving between him and Rey.

“Dandelion you rascal! You might want ta watch yerself with this one. Geralt is mighty protective over the lass.” Zoltan said with a sly smirk on his face.

Geralt cut his eyes over to the dwarf, then returned his attention to Dandelion, who looked confused.

“Dandelion, I need to ask you something. It’s important so focus. Where’s Ciri?” Geralt asked.

“Ciri? I thought, seeing how you’re here… You haven’t seen her? I…. well I don’t know where she is.” Dandelion answered.

“I know you tried to help her. Gotta say I’m having trouble understanding why you went to Whoreson Junior of all people.”

“No one else came to mind. Maybe, given more time, I’d have done things differently, but Ciri said the Wild Hunt was on her tail. Whoreson seemed pretty harmless by comparison.” Dandelion said defensively.

“Something went wrong…” Geralt said

“So you’ve heard everything? I hope you’re not mad, you can’t be… My plan was perfect… until we put it in motion. How was I supposed to know that Menge was after Dudu?”

“Heard enough about your plan. Need to know what happened to Ciri now.” Geralt said, agitation raising in his voice. “When’d you last see her?”

“Let’s go inside and I’ll tell you everything.” Dandelion said. “I don’t want to be found by the hunters again.” 

Geralt nodded and lead the way Dandelion behind him. He held the door for Zoltan and Rey. “After you my dear.” he told Rey with a smile and a wink.

Rey went into the room and sat beside Geralt with Dandelion and Zoltan sitting across from them. She was glad to be sitting, she could feel blood still soaking the white shirt Triss had given her, guilt flooding her for ruining it. Her head was starting to spin a little as well so she leaned her body against the wall listening to Dandelion tell them the story of Ciri.

“but then we learned that Menge’s men were after her, we met at Elector Square. Menge was there and all hell broke out, he called for the guards and Ciri pushed me out of the way. We fought a horde of them, swords swinging, sweat stinging our eyes. Ciri was Ciri, an absolute warrior! Of course I held up pretty well myself.” he added the last part looking at Rey.

“Dandelion, this isn’t one of your plays. Don’t lie to us.” Geralt said his yellow eyes narrowing.

“Fine, Ciri pushed me out of the way and fought off 5 or 6 of the hunters. She fell from exhaustion and I saw a bowman pointing a cross bow at her. I fan to her as fast as I could. I couldn’t let her be fell from a damned arrow. I couldn’t let her fall at all. I jumped in front of her to take the arrow instead, but…” Dandelion rubbed his face. “But she vanished Geralt! She was just gone! That’s when the hunters surrounded me and arrested me. Ah, what an adventure! One minute we were pulling of the heist of the century, the next we were prey, a pack of hunters on our tail… Gave me enough material for a volume of ballads! And this one will sell like hotcakes!”

“Is that all you care about – the ballads this’ll inspire?” Geralt demanded, slamming his fist on the table. “Ego swell a bit lately? Getting more and more selfish with age?”

“What is that about?” Dandelion asked sounding hurt.

Zoltan looked to Rey, “Come on lass, we need to convince the halflings that we weren’t here.”

Rey stood to follow Zoltan but winced in pain, which Geralt noticed. “You’re hurt.”

“I’ll be fine, just overdone it a bit.” She said through a smile.

“Sit, I’ll deal with you in a moment.” He said pulling her back down on the bench like he would a child. She felt a ripple of darkness roll through her, but shook it off, almost grateful she wasn’t moving from her spot. She gave Zoltan a shrug and a smile as he walked off.

“What is this about? It’s about Ciri!” Geralt said his attention back to the man who was looking as guilty as a loth cat.

“Why would I ever worry about her?” he asked incredulously. “You have any idea how she fights?! The girl can take care of herself, believe me.” He said standing up. “Anyway, she’s gotta come back to that little box. The trinket that started it all.” 

Geralt pulled a box out of the bag that was tied to his belt. Rey thought it was beautiful, gold with etchings of trees on each side, there was a milky white stone between the branches that looked like the moon shining through them. She could feel the darkness emanating from the box. “It’s a shame that such a pretty object is so dark.” She hadn’t even meant to say it out loud, and when she did both men looked at her.

“Do you know what this is?” Geralt asked.

Rey shook her head no, “there is just darkness attached to it.” She thought about when she first touched the Skywalker saber, the visions it gave her. She wanted to help Geralt, and if it worked maybe it could give them some answers, point them in the right direction. If it didn’t then no harm no foul. “May I see it?” She asked Geralt.

Dandelion looked at Geralt skeptically. “My Lady, I mean no offense, but Geralt how long have you known this radiant woman? Can we trust her?”

Rey found no offense at all in the suspicion of her, she figured that Dandelion was just being cautious. Geralt put the box in Rey’s outstretched hand. “I trust her with my life.” he said not tearing his eyes from Dandelions.

Rey smiled at Geralt in thanks. She then closed her eyes and called to the force. Flashes of faces appeared in her mind, a man with pale and long gray hair, and very pointy ears. The next flash was of a misshapen childlike creature, on green eye much larger than the other, the larger eye looked as if it were close to popping out of it’s skull. The childlike creature was chasing a butterfly in a beautiful meadow, she felt sorry for it. The scene then turned dark, there were boats on fire all around a terrifying creature. It’s armor shaped as a skeleton, metal ribs protecting it’s body beneath. It’s face a skull with hollow black eye sockets. Rey couldn’t determine if the skull was part of the crown it wore or if the crown was just a helmet. The creature then looked down at Rey, staring at her. “You do not belong.” It growled at her.

Rey’s eyes popped open. Both Geralt and Dandelion staring at her. She place the box on the table as far as she could from herself. She could feel sweat dripping down the nape of her neck, beads of sweat gathering and falling down her face.

“Rey? Are you okay?” Geralt asked. She could see the worry on his face. She nodded that she was, but she was lying. She was not okay. The thing saw her, and told her she didn’t belong. How did it do that?

“Did you learn anything?” Geralt asked.

“I saw a man, long gray hair and very sharp ears, very pale, very proud. Then I saw a child, but it was more like a creature, misshapen and strange.” She said trying her best to retell her vision. “It had one arm longer than the other, one eye larger than the other as well. It as chasing butterflies in a meadow.” Rey paused trying think how to describe the last part of the vision, or even if she should tell Geralt about all of it. Should she omit the last part? 

“Was that all?” Dandelion asked, she could tell he still didn’t trust her and he thought that Geralt was a fool too.

She had almost forgot that he was even there, and she also noticed that Zoltan had joined them. She looked down at her hands. “No, that wasn’t all.” She said and sighed picking at her fingernails. “There was another creature. There were boats on the water, they were all in flames and this thing was standing a midst them. It had armor that looked like a skeleton and wore a helmet that looked as if it were a crown. It’s face was that of a skull.” She looked into Geralts eyes, “Geralt, it saw me. It saw me in my vision. I don’t know how, or why. Visions aren’t supposed to work like that. But it looked at me.” She decided not to tell him that it spoke to her, that she didn’t belong. She might later, but not with the current company.

Geralt crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the wall, he knew two of the three she spoke of, the first could be any elf, well any elf with gray hair. The childlike creature he had seen at the Bloody Barron’s and the third was Eredin, The King of the Wild Hunt.

“Geralt.” Dandelion said interrupting his thoughts, “Rey doesn’t look to good.”

Geralt did notice that she had lost color in her face and lips. Maybe her vision abilities had drained her, but then he noticed the smell of fresh blood in the air. He had noticed it earlier but had thought it was from the hunter earlier. He realized she was hurt, and bleeding. “Dammit Rey, why didn’t you tell me?” he then looked at Zoltan accusingly. “I told you not let her get hurt.”

Zoltan was confused, “Whoa Geralt. No blade ev’n touched the lass. If’in ya’d seen it the way she fought…. It was hypnotizin’.”

“Geralt, I’m fine. I just pulled a stitch or two during the fight. I’ll be okay.” she said and gave him a weak smile. “We’ve got to find Ciri.”

Geralts face was hard, he was upset at her. “I’ve got to find Ciri. I’m taking you to Triss.”

Rey started to protest, but before she could say anything Geralt stood up and scooped her up in his arms.

“Let me down!” She yelled at him. “I can walk myself.” 

“Hmmmm.” Geralt grunted but did as she asked and he walked out. She could feel that he was angry, but also worried.

Zoltan looked up at Rey “Why didn’t ya tell me lass?” He asked shaking his head.

“I’m fine.” Rey snapped, and started towards the door. She was getting a bit light headed but she wasn’t going to show them that. Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Dandelion shrugged and said, “Women.” 

Zoltan rolled his eyes and followed his party with Dandelion on his heels.


End file.
